Train of Thought
by Meta Moon
Summary: AU. Her parents and two of her young sibilings were killed and her other brother kidnapped. Kaoru becomes a wanderer searching for him. But the question is will she find her brother, and what will she have to do, to find him.
1. Seeing red

Meta Moon: I have decided to revise the whole story up until chapter six, for obvious reasons if you read it the other times. I hope that it will not be as horrible as the last two times  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Kenshin and co.  
  
?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? denotes scene and/or time change also used for indicating the start of a chapter or end  
  
'blah' denotes thoughts  
  
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Kaoru rubbed the sweat off her forehead that had begun to collect in beads around her brows. Her hair was up in a high ponytail tied with a small white piece of cloth that moved with every swing of her bokken. She, even though a girl, would inherit the dojo and title of master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, when her father passed, he did not care much for progeniture. It was quite uncommon for this to happen, so she strived to become stronger despite her mother's wishes to be more ladylike. Kaoru despised cooking only because she was insulted every time by her siblings who said her food could give a dog food poisoning. She loved wearing kimonos but rarely got the chance to since training took up much of her time.  
  
Her violent temper and brashness never fail to surprise anyone who hasn't known her for most of their life. Like her younger brother Amon says all the time, "Sometimes I believe she should've been born a male." It always ended with him having a few new lumps to add to the collection he was gaining. It was thanks to her attitude that thankfully she wasn't married, but it was creepy how she seemed to enjoy torturing her marriage prospects with pranks. While on the subject of younger siblings, Amon was the oldest male at thirteen, Nikita and her brother, Kota were six-year-old twins. Kaoru herself was seventeen.  
  
She stopped her training and leaned on the end of her bokken. The chilly November weather made it hard to practice. It caused her to be stiff so she looked like a scarecrow the way she walked with her hands tightly pressed against her sides and walking with her heels in the air, though she didn't know it. Luckily there was a break in the chilly days so she could go back to her routine. It wasn't until her thoughts on the weather stopped did she noticed something was wrong, she sniffed the air. It was something about the air that didn't smell right. She sniffed again. It smelled like smoke. She looked around, then up, it was coming from the direction of her home.  
  
She grabbed her bokken and hurried to the woods surrounding her training ground. The branches and thorns that Kaoru normally took time to walk around scratched at her arms and face as she ran. Her sandals that were not made for this kind of abuse almost snapped. 'What is going on? Is the dojo on fire. Oh, I hope that everyone's all right.' These thoughts quickly rushed through her head as she ran, until she finally reached the clearing her home was in. What she saw horrified her and made her gasp.  
  
Smoke billowed out of the west wing of it, in thick black clouds. The rest of the dojo was wrecked, many of the planks were broken in half, most of the roof was collapsed as though someone really large had trampled it, the shojo doors were pulled away from their doorways and the screens were torn. There were other things laying on the ground that she could not see from her spot near the shrubbery, so she did not concern herself with them. Large pieces of wood littered the blood splattered ground, almost none were unbroken.  
  
She did a double take, yes, blood covered the ground. She shivered once again, she hoped to Kami that her family wasn't included in the 'things'. Kaoru walked ever so slowly over to the things, careful to not step on any of the wood pieces in case of long splinters that might get stuck in her feet. The girl stopped dead in her tracks, in recognition of her father, by his short spiky hair. Turning him over she saw that he was cut twice, the one on the stomach she guessed was the first blow, the other was at his heart. It wasn't wide, but it had been pierced through his backside. Kaoru found her mother next, the way her clothes were torn she guessed she had been raped and beaten to death for putting up a fight. The sight of her mother was horrendous, seeing the twins condition was even worse. She gasped, quickly covering her mouth, feeling nausea.  
  
Nikita had a very large splinter stuck in her chest as though she had been thrown on it, her blood still pouring out of the wound. She had bruises on her face and her jaw was in an impossible position, it was broken. Burn marks took up nearly every place on her body.  
  
Kota was worse, he had been cut to shreds, his throat was cut as well as both wrists. Deep cuts covered his legs and his left arm was broken. The rest of his body was massacred the same way. A bloody sharp piece of wood nearby was an indication that it was a drawn out death. 'H. . . how could anyone human do this to little kids? What reason did they have for doing this?' Tears pricked at her eyes as she struggled to keep her bile from rising in her throat.  
  
Then she went over to the other body, but she looked over him a while before realizing that it wasn't Amon. She guessed him to be one of the men that was in this. His lungs were pierced. It wasn't her father's style nor her brother's. Their aim was to disarm and to disable the opponent, killing was only done if the enemy refused to stop taking lives. 'He must have refused to do his superior's orders and was killed for it. What happened to Amon though?' Realization coursed through her. 'They took him with them.'  
  
She now collapsed in tears. She may be strong but not that strong. Her mother, father, sister and brother were killed. Her other brother kidnaped and her only home half destroyed. She didn't know what else to do but to keep on crying. When she stopped, it was dark and her body was stiff, her eyes were red and her ivory skin was pink from her dried tears. She was now alone and had no where to stay since her parents had no family alive. Some time during her mourning she had thought about what to do later, and decided to find her brother and get vengeance for her family. Knowing that this was not what her father taught, she felt ashamed but it would not change her decision. 'I cannot call myself master of the Kamiya Kasshin style if my goal is not to protect people.' She scanned the darkness for a sharp piece of wood to soften the ground and one that was like a shovel. She would have to dig some graves.  
  
?!?!?!?!?!?  
  
Meta: I hope this one is better. I will soon do so to the other three chapters when I have time.  
  
Thanks to the people who review the original chapter even though it sucked worse than this one. Please review.  
  
Vocab: Progeniture- tradition that the oldest son inherits everything his father owns. 


	2. Findings before a journey

Meta: Hello people, I don't know why but I feel like making a whole chapter in one day. So I'm going to try it. Oh, and did you know the time of night that I posted my first chapter was around Twelve. Of course I got yelled at for all my efforts. Fall break just started, I never had one before it's so cool! Well on with the story.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Kenshin and co. so please don't sue all I spent all my birthday money already. I forgot to do that last time. Hope no one reports me to the authorties. Has very shifty eyes  
  
Yes, the story!  
  
Denotes thoughts  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Now that she had her tools all she needed to do was make the holes. She to use the sharp piece to make the ground softer so she can move the dirt. Then used the other as a shovel of course, it was hard work and tired out her musles. By the end of it she had blisters, splinters, and five holes dug.  
  
She hadn't even thought about whether or not to make the man's grave, she had just done it. Thinking all dead deserve a resting place, as it had been taught to her. Light was going to come soon, placing their bodies in their homes and covering them with the dirt that had born them, she started to salvage anything useful for her journey. Kaoru looked under piles of wood and the rest of her home, the fire had went out hours ago and fortunately hadn't burned everything. The west wing was the dojo so she didn't count on weapons to use. The east though was the living quarters and she guessed that there where some objects not stolen and then there was the hidden storage.  
  
In her mother and father's room she didn't find anything of use. As she turned to leave the barely standing doorway something caught her eyes, it was partly under some of the planks of wood from the ceiling. She lifted them up and grapped for it then dropped the pile. Kaoru felt tears starting to come out, she didn't think she had anymore to waste, it was her mother's decorative comb. It had been one of the presents given to her mom for her wedding, she had only seen her wear it once to a funtional party they had attended. Made of cherry wood it had beautiful pink sakura blossoms painted on it and green leaves in some places even on the teeth. I didn't think I would find something like this again. I'll keep it to remember her by. Oh, mom. Finding nothing else she went to Keta and Nikita's room to search.  
  
There was nothing there at all, she had looked for a long time too. She walked out onto the deck outside (A/N: I don't know what it's called), she walked to her brother's room, the rice paper screen had been torn so she walked straight through it. Looking around she found her brother's gi laying in a neat pile on the floor beside where his sleeping mat should be. They must've thought their was no purpose in taking it since they had so much. Kaoru had plainly notice that most of their things were missing, things that she could have used. The gi's top was light blue in color while the pants were dark blue, she was going to keep these she they were both nearly the same size. That meant last was her room, she sighed she was going to miss it greatly.  
  
~*~*Kaoru's POV~*~*  
  
The walk to my room seemed to be a very long one, for reasons unknow to me. Maybe because I knew that I would be leaving soon so I just wanted to live in the moment. I stepped inside the door, the wall opposite of me had a window in which I usually looked out of. Near the center of the floor were the two teddy bears of Keta and Nikita. Which they left when they spent the night with me  
  
Keta's was brown with a tan tummy and a midnight blue ribbon around it's neck. Nikita's had black fur and a purple ribbon around it's neck. Another suvernire from when everything was right. I hugged the two bears to me as though it were them. I knew it was pitiful but I couldn't do anything else at the time.  
  
I slowly got up from the floor, my legs were a shaky. I used my right hand to push me up, with my other around the bears. The force in which I used to push up nearly made me fall back down. I stepped out and walked to the kitchen now holding all my gathered items.  
  
Walking in I saw that the kitchen had been empitied of all good food. Some spices like salt, and pepper hadn't been tooken, reaching down under the ledge used to hold a basin, to a shelf I grabbed them. Since the shelfs are still here that means they didn't find the storage.  
  
When I was about thirdteen, it was decided incase of need of escape from father's enemies it was wise to keep needed supplies in a quick to get to spot. Putting my stuff down, I used my finger nails to pull the wood off the hollow spot, discarding of it behind me. Carefully laid out in front of me was what I needed.  
  
I found that my old kimonos would not fit because they were to small. Looking through the cloths I came across my mother's cloths. One of her yukatas (sleeping garments), I was quite happy to find such a thing at all, and seven kimonos and seven obis. Three of both were plain in design their colors being, sky blue, green, and the last pink. The other five were not of plain design though, a purple one had lilaics all over it. Next was light pink with jasmine on it, at various places. Another was midnight blue with crimson roses on it. The last I notice as my mother's wedding gown.  
  
I found myself gasping as if was the first time I had seen her wedding kimono. It was pure white with sakura flowers and leaves sew onto the hems and neckline, covering most of the back of the gown though was a golden dragon with beautiful violet eyes. The wings she knew were made from the obi, they were made larger than usual to look like it's wings were coming out of the kimono, the tail was at the long tail of the dress. Everything stitched was perfect on this gown, it looked to have tooken years, and while all the others were made of normal material it was silk.  
  
No way was I going to get rid of any of them. Mom always promised me I would get married in it, so I intend on keeping it. Setting the yukata and kimonos with my other things, I then grabbed the wooden box out. I found money, luckly a large amount to keep me going for years, and the coloful ribbons I had demanded go in, I guessed they would come too. I left everyone else's clothes alone, then I spotted something hidden.  
  
I carefully took the wrapped object out, tied to a string was a note from my father though. It read:  
  
Dear Kaoru,  
  
If you are reading this then I must be gone, take this weapon and use it to protect. You are now the master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, this sword has been handed down through the generations of masters, so I expect you to take nothing but the most care for it. I want you to take of your mother, Aton, and little Keta and Nikita for me. I know that you are going on a personal journey to find the meaning of protecting life. The same as I did, did you know as a result of our wanderings every master came to find their love in their travels. I hope the same for you daughter, I'm very proud of you. Keep living for me and those that need to be protected, and those that need you to live for them to be happy and alive. Know this if you ever kill while doing your duty, they can forgive you so do not fall from guilt. Not when doing right. I love you Kaoru, take good care.  
Your father,  
Kamiya Kenji  
  
I clench the paper , as tears came out. Dad didn't know that everyone would die, it obvious in the letter. My heart felt as though it was being shredded into pieces at my seat on the floor. It was my fault that, they died. But, if I was here would I have made any differnece in the out come. Or would I have died also?  
  
I didn't keep on thinking, I knew were it would have gone if I did. Then remembering the weapon on my lap and setting the letter aside forgotten and unwrapped the package very slowly. Before I had even gone to far I knew it would be a keeper, father would never give it as gift if it had any other purpose than to keep lives going on.  
  
The hilt had, suprising, had engraved and painted sakura blossoms and leaves on it, so far it looked as though it went to the wodden blade as well. Taking the scabbard ( Umm, think it is misspelled) off, I indeed saw that the designs reached the tip of it. I very gently touch the blade in order to test it, well let's just say I got a new boo boo. I put it up and grabbed the sleeping bag from the hollow, before gather my things together and some others I found useful later, in a piece of yellow cloth tied so it would go around my neck (A/N: Think of Sango's yellow and black one she carries.)  
  
I walked to the creek near by to take a bath before I leave and to eat some fish for lunch. I dropped the bag from my shoulders and undressed, I finished with my bath then dressed in to my brother's training gi, then tied my hair into a high ponytail. After having a rough time with the fish I caught some, burnt them, ate some, salted the rest and bundle up with some cloth I had found earlier.  
  
~*~* Back to normal veiw~*~*  
  
Kaoru was now ready to go with her things on her back and sword trough her belt on the left side, since she was right handed and it made it easier to handle. (A/N: Battousai is king do you think swords aren't allowed, HA!) She was now headed off on the road, she looked back one final time, knowing somehow she would never regret leaving . Before turning back around she wisphered one final thing to her old home, "Goodbye place of memories, maybe one day my train of thought will come back to you." Now she started down the road, for new aventures awaited her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Meta: How was it, any good. Well, it took me forever to write this, oh the idea for the wedding kimono appeared out of nowhere. Really suprised me, oh amd the sword is supposed to look like the sword, why do you think her father bought it as a wedding present. PLEASE!!! Oh, please reveiw. Thankies. And sorry for any mistakes. One more thing by the time I had I finished this it had been a week and a half from what I said above. But, I won't change it. 


	3. Camping Buddy

Meta: Sorry for the delay everyone. But you might be glad to know I have some ideas for some great stories. I hope to have them wrote out as soon as possible. One story I have the first half chapter of it written, it's a Gundam W one and the name is The Hated Pink. It's one where Relean remodels everything, so the only bashing that will go on will be the ones that lead her to this action. So keep checking to see if I put it up soon. Oh, want to know what stupid thing I did.  
  
Meta: Well, my sister had ran outside while I was going to get something from the car for my mom. You see my uncle lives like twelve feet infront of us, he and his fiance are the only one they really listen too. (Meaning my twin brother and sister that are four) To inform you the ground here is really uneven, so I go up about two steps before she goes inside. For some strange reason I either fell or went down the steps backwards. My left foot didn't touch right, I fell and hurt it really badly, lets say so much I started bawling like a baby. Then my grandmother went to check what was taking so long. she got my mom and I couldn't get up our steps.  
  
Meta: So I had to force myself to crawl up them! My mom didn't take me to the hospital, saying that it was hurt less than what happen a few years ago. I told her that I was currently in alot more pain than back then. She said I wasn't, can you believe that telling me how much pain I was in. How can she know!  
  
Meta: Let's just say she is taking me later. Why? Well my ankle is about four times bigger than it is suppose to be.  
  
Meta: Enough ranting. Review people, now on with the story.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yes, it was offical she was pooped, she wasn't really used to all this traveling. Not at all, and it showed. Kaoru was sitting under a tree letting the breeze cool her body down. Now it would only be a couple of short hours til' dark, she was going to sleep outside tonight. Never would there be a way to get to the nearest village by then.  
  
After a bite of food and a drink of water she was off again on her travels. Unfortately all she had as company were the animals, but they kept running off everytime she neared any one of them. I wonder if they think I stink or something. None of them stay, if I move even one inch closer to them. Yep, that was a very strange thought.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The sun was setting now that the two hours were almost gone. Kaoru had not seen any person since she started out. She found herself spacing out until the sounds of footsteps and mutters were clear in the bushes lining the road. The prospect of being robbed or another situation never accurred to her that it may happen. To put what happened next simply, she ran, though the group of nine men or so caught up. Damn, this heavy pack.  
  
It was clear they were theives she didn't even have to look at them to tell. Other thing was...... they were hideous! Looking at them hurt her eyes. A bald man then spoke, "Well, men should we take her stuff and leave her for dead. Or take her stuff and have some fun." They were oblivious she guessed to the fact, that she did have a sword on her side.  
  
When they started to close in she shrugged off her bag, and took a fighting stance. One of the other men stopped and looked at her as though she were insane. "You think your going to fight us all. Ha, you don't stand a chance.", he said in a very haughty manner. "Think I'm going to stand here and let you do whatever you please with me." Man, was fire burning in her eyes. They thought because she was a girl she couldn't defend herself. Oh, would they come to regret it.  
  
"Oooo, nice voice. I think I'll enjoy listening to your screams.", cooed some other man with greasy black hair. Then they made their move, she dodged the first two. Punched another in the face, round house kicking the one behind her. Though one managed to grab her arms and pull them behind her back, he was tooken care of by a kick to where it hurts. As two came rushing at her from either side she flipped back out of the way, resulting in their head on crash.  
  
When she landed she was caught by suprise by the last ones standing though. One twisting her arms back the other connected their foot with her back, forcing her to the ground in pain. Before she hit the ground though she saw the other seven coming over. Next she heared someone saying hadn't your mothers teach you not hurt girls, before some groans of pain reached her ears.  
  
Now their retreating footsteps were heard as someone lifted her to her feet. Kaoru opened her eyes to see a tall spiky brown hair man infront of her. He had beautiful brown eyes, nice body too. His clothes consisted of a white bandanna around his head, white pants, black shoes, and a white jacket that had the kanji for bad on the back of it.  
  
"Are you alright missy? You put up a heck of a fight against them." he said. She brushed herself off replying, "I'm fine, thanks for your help." "No problem, had fun", was his answer. Then she notice the fish bone in his mouth and wonder if he fought while chewing on it. "It's not safe here, you should stay at my camp near here. By the way my name is Sanouske Sagara." (A/N: Did I spell it right?) Realizing she hadn't told him her name she blushed and said,"Mine is Kaoru Kamiya, and thanks I wouldn't mind having a camp buddy." "Okay let's go." He picked up her bag and started to walk to the left were she notice a small path.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Meta: Sorry that took forever for me to write. Well, my ankle is sprained and I have to use crutches. Oh, I want I know if this should be a Ka/Sano Ka/Batt or a Ka/Sou in the beginning. Of course it will end in a Ka/Batt anyways. Also wanted to say sorry for the short chapter, I'll try to get the next one out soon. 


	4. Don't point that at me!

Meta Moon: Ahh!! I'm sorry I haven't had the time lately to write anything. Plus a bad case of writers block for this story.  
  
Dragon of Meta: You mean you don't have one now.  
  
Meta Moon: Uh, well...you see....... you should know, you are me!  
  
Dragon of Meta: So in other words you do have one. So far you have forgotten to thank your reviewers.  
  
Out of nowhere Kenshin apppears with a sign around his neck saying:  
  
Meta Moon thanks her reviewers from the bottom of her heart. Disclaimer : Meta Moon does not own us.  
  
Meta Moon: Finally Kenshin stopped calling me Moon-sama, it took forever. Since that is out of the way, on with the story!  
  
Dragon of Meta: That was corny, I could do better and I will state my reason. So you know I am Meta Moon's darker side. I'm clever, smart, and a powerful Dranigen. If you don't know what I am, check out her story "My Own Soul".  
  
Meta Moon currently has a huge sweat drop on her head. She shakes her head before dragging the dragon away by the ear.  
  
Dragon of Meta: Oww..ow.....OWWWW! Stop my ears are sensitive! Owwww!  
  
Meta Moon: *mutters* So much for being powerful.  
  
Dragon of Meta: I heard that!  
  
Meta Moon: Then I must not be pulling hard enough if you hear me through your pain.  
  
Meta Moon starts pulling harder and walking faster, while Meta stumbles to stay on her feet. Kenshin just sits there watching before speaking ,"Well this is the real beginning of the chapter, that it is."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So. Why are you out here by yourself ? " "To wander around." Kaoru wasn't lying she was just doing this to wander around. She just wasn't telling the whole story. Sano as she now knew perfered to be called was laying back with his hands behind his head. Well, that was the end of that.  
  
"What's your reason?" Kaoru asked him sipping her water. Sano: "To get away from town, it's crawling with police ever since these murders started." Kaoru set down her cup gently before asking, "Murders? What murders?" She wanted to know if her family was included,even though it hadn't even been more than a day.(A/N: Remember she spent hours crying and digging.) Sano: "You mean....you haven't heard?" She shook her head no. Sitting back up, he took a drink from the bottle beside before starting,"As of late, people that the police know that have had a bad past are turning up dead. Some say it is because they know to much about a group or refused to join so they were killed off. My friend...he used to make opium...was found dead a few days ago. He quit, but I'm guessing they wanted him to continue his work."  
  
Kaoru: "Who is they?" Sano: "It's not know. Well, not to the public anyways." I've already told to much. Anything more will put her in danger. "Maybe we should go to bed." "Yeah, we should." Sano put out the fire by throwing dirt on it from a pile close by, dug up when they made the place for the fire. "Goodnight Jou-chan." "Goodnight rooster head." "What's up with everyone calling me that!" He didn't get an answer, she was already in her sleeping bag asleep. He slipped into his and fell asleep to.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So you sent Sano out for a few days. Do you think it was needed? He can defend himself.", a voice said. "The moron can't if he's drunk trying to drown out his sorrows.", another answered. The first person sweatdropped before replying back, "Your right, he can't."  
  
(A/N: Duh! Saito and Megumi. Um, sorry for the first comment. Just wanted to make sure you knew.)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sano woke up to find Kaoru gone and some fish on the grill for him. He ate, then stood up to stretch, seeing her things he knew she would come back. But I better go look just in case. He walked the way he saw that some of the long grass had been parted and walked upon. He only moved forward for a few minutes before spotting her. Sano leaned against a tree casually watching Kaoru practice her strokes with the sword that he had spotted yesterday, but didn't ask about it. After a while Sano decided to sit down as his back rested at the base of the tree, Kaoru then felt a presence nearby as she turned and brought the sword in the direction of Sano, he then glanced up at Kaoru and said,"You sure know how to handle that thing Jou-chan."  
  
Kaoru put the sword back into the sheath,"I was just getting the feel of it. I mean. Would YOU want to use a sword that you never handled in a fight?" "So that's the reason you didn't use it against the bandits." She walked of to him and sat down with the sword at a slant across her chest. (A/N:Think of how Inuyasha sleeps with his, yes, that's it.) "That and I didn't want to dirty my sword on worthless opponents." Sano shivered despite the fact that the warm sun was through the leaves of the tree. That last comment reminded him of a person back in town.(A/N:*cough*Saito*cough*)  
  
"So, Rooster head are you going to take me into town?" "You're one to talk tanuki." "TANUKI! I'll kill for that!" So she continued her plan to do so by pulling a bokken out of nowhere and was beating him on the head with it.  
  
~~~~~~~Somewhere else~~~~~~~  
  
"Sir, it seems that the Isshin Shishi are using the guise of theives and bandits to kill off enemies and such." Gold eyes deepened with hatred as the bit of news reached his ears, good thing for spies like Soujiro. He hated to send of some of his best fighters and friends just because this group or that group decided to attack. Of course, this was Shishio he was dealing with not a idiot like that Kanryuu (spelling?) who thought he had finally found the means through opium to gain his lands. Idiot didn't know what he was doing.  
  
After the king's special forces saved the female doctor Megumi and Kanryuu was sent to jail he was found dead, killed by the group he receded from. No one even reported strange noises of happenings, the person was good. He had to send off Sano, Yahiko, Misao, Soujiro, and Megumi hoewever annoying they might get they were friends and the only people he could relax around, to make sure he caught this person or to make sure they were safe.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Meta_moon: Sorry, for misspellings and such, also the shortness of the chapter. I need four reviews for me to continue on okay. Please!!!!!!! 


	5. What's Burning!

Meta Moon: Hey, sorry everyone about not updating in so long. There have been some problems with the computer that caused us to wipe our drive so all the revised chapters are gone so now I have to do it over again. It may take some time but I hope the posting of this chapter will hold you all until the next chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: What? Isn't this called Fanfiction.net for a reason?  
  
Warnings: Um....I sometimes tend to have the characters curse a lot..... so yeah. Oh, and my style of writing is going to change throughout the story, so please excuse me I'm trying to see which one will suit me the most.  
  
Random thing: If you see me typing suprise, suprize , ignore it I tend to do that.  
  
?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?  
  
Kaoru sighed, she was still angry with herself for being so rude earlier. After apolgizing several times he told her that he had put up with much worse. It was now noon and they were eating lunch, which by the way was barely edible. But hey, at least Kaoru knows now she isn't the worst cook in the world--Sanosuke is. The risk of food poisoning was very high, but it was worth it to make fun of the spiky hair man.  
  
'And, to think I thought my cooking skills were bad!' She turned her attention away from the food and to the man in front of her. She guessed Sano was okay, he personality was a fun one, but she doubted if he could be serious. That and she had a feeling that at times he could me a lazy bum. 'Forget sometimes', she thought as she once again saw him drink from a metal flask, 'I bet anything thing he's over his neck in unpaid debts.'  
  
"Hey, Tanuki do you enjoy staring at my rugged good looks?" She swallowed some water to rid herself of the horrible aftertaste of the fish. "Oh, you caught me there." Sarcasm laced her voice as she struggled not to burst out laughing. He smirked, he had caught her earlier on their way back to camp ground 'discreetly' looking at his ass. Of course she didn't know he caught her  
  
She blink suddenly as if she just realized something. Apparently she did.....a few seconds later she was beating him on the head with a bokken--that strangely appeared out of no where. "Tanuki!!!" "Well, you for certain are rabid enough to be one," he said, it--unfortunately-- did not have any sort of calming effect on her. Guess she's lucky she's not a red head with the way she is expressing her anger--through violence.  
  
Poor, poor Sanosuke, I don't think he knows when to shut his mouth around Kaoru yet. "Actually you are more of a baby racoon because I barely felt that." Never thought you'd see the day--Oh! Look ! Sano's face is planted in the ground. Kaoru dusted her hands off and began packing up her supplies, leaving Sano to his own devices.  
  
Which, in truth was attempting to pull his face out of the dirt, that is until he noticed something.  
  
Something....something was burning, he gasped in suprise when he realized what it was.  
  
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Meta Moon: HA HA! I wrote this to be evil....actually I made it short so I wouldn't be to upset if FF.net wasn't able to upload it. 


	6. Steps back

Meta Moon: Hello, decided I needed to update soon. So now I'm typing chapter six, actually it was part of chapter five, but I didn't want to post in case it didn't load. Put this one and chapter five together and you got how long it was really going to be.  
  
Disclaimer: Really, now, why is this necessary for me to do? Stop making fun of me! sobs  
  
A random thing: Someone asked me if Tomoe was going to make an appearance in this story and if she was going to be Kenshin's first love. To answer that she might make an appearance I don't know yet, but for sure will not be Kenshin's first love and if she does show up she might only end up flirting with him trying to get him to like her or something. Since I don't know her personality too much, I just might make my own character that is trying to win his love. Whoot!  
  
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Something . . . something was burning, he gasped in horror when he realized what it was. His bandanna's ends had fallen into the still going fire and . . . it was steadily getting closer to his head. "Jou-chan! Help me out here!" Kaoru reached for the pan of water that still held one of the live fish that Sano hadn't cooked. Splash! Water dripped down from his spikes and onto his nose and chin. The still very much a live fish on his head hit him in the face with its tail fin before it fell off unto the ground. Kaoru: 'I wonder if it's dead yet?'   
  
Sanosuke: "Uhh–thanks I think?" He squeezed the water out of his hair and started to trudge his way to the stream to supposedly get the stink of fish off him.  
  
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He came back a half hour later with his hair still damp, Kaoru giggled. Sano looked strange without his head band on and with the hair that was kept back by it falling into his face. He plopped down on the ground and just fixed his gaze on the bandanna in his hands. "Are you all right?" Kaoru was concerned he looked like his favorite goldfish just died. Okay, the whole fish thing is getting old now.  
  
"Yeah," Kaoru wondered what it could be that would make Sanosuke only feel like replying with one word when he usually talks excessively. "You don't look okay to me!" She huffed, if that was how it was going to go then maybe she wouldn't talk to him anymore. The swords woman then berated herself for being so quick to raise her temper. It was obviously something that tore at his heart to think about, and has anyone noticed the author has a weird way of referring to feelings.  
  
The brown haired man turned his head away from it and sighed. "It was given to me by a friend, but I'm at lost as what to do with it now." 'Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it.' Kaoru felt a guilt trip start, 'No wonder he appears so sad. Whoever it is, he must be dead, maybe that friend he talked of earlier? I wish I could do –' Sano watched as she jumped up from her spot and rummaged through her bag. An 'Ah, ha' issued from her lips when she found the object she sought from the recesses of her very cluttered bag.   
  
She clasped it in her hands behind her as she walked to his back. The woman shifted his hair as she tied it and let go of the ends. He looked over his shoulder to get a look at it. It was a red bandanna, Sanosuke quickly snapped his head back front when her felt her take his burnt one from his hands. She wound it around his wrist and up until it was half way up to his elbow. Kaoru pulled it tautly then tied it tucking the burnt edges inside. He looked back up at her when she finished. "Thank you." "Your welcome," Kaoru smiled at him and stood up.   
  
Kaoru: "I think it's time I took my leave." He said nothing as she gathered her stuff onto her back, it was not until she turned away to go that he spoke. "Jou-chan where are you going," Sano asked in a soft and quiet voice that frankly surprised the crap of her. Who knew he could speak so softly with a voice like his, not Kaoru for sure.  
  
She replied with equally soft tones, "I really don't know for sure, but I'm going to find my brother. What are you going to do?" " I'm Goin' to check on an old friend of my boss." Kaoru turned around and fixed him with a questioning glance, he seemed to understand what she was asking and answered her. "He lives in a dojo about a half day from here." The woman shivered, there was no doubt he was talking about her father because he was the closest person around with a home and not only that but a dojo.   
  
If it really was her father then, Sanosuke was going to end up sadly disappointed. "Kamiya Kenji is dead!" Kaoru didn't know why she did that, it was an impulse, but she had a feeling that it was her father he spoke of. Sano looked at her strangely as though she were a frog being dissected. "What!?" 'How could this happen it was just four days ago that we received word from him that everything was okay on his lands.'  
  
Kaoru dropped her bag and went over to Sano and sat leaning her head against his arm with her knees drawled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees. She took a deep breath and listened to the beat of his heart to calm herself. "Kamiya Kenji . . . is dead." "How long," he asked her.   
  
Kaoru rested her forehead on her kneecaps to stop a sob from escaping her. "Almost t-two days." The brunet wrapped the nearly crying girl in a hug. Kaoru: "Sanosuke, thank you for putting up with me. I'm being such a cry baby, but I was so sure I didn't have enough tears to cry any more." She brushed her eyes off with the back of her hand and tried to contain her sniffs.  
  
"Kaoru," he said hesitantly, " How do you know this and who are you?" Her body shook with repressed sobs, " My name is Kamiya Kaoru, I am the oldest daughter of Kenji. I was out training when the dojo was attacked, so I survived. I smelled smoke in the air and followed it to the dojo, it looked like it was trampled on and the west wing was on fire. My dad, mom, and my twin brother and sister were killed. Their older brother, my younger, was gone and one of their men laid dead by one of their own swords."  
  
He nodded his head to say he understood, "I need you to take me there. Unfortunately I work with some people," he cringed "that will not believe me if I just say I was told Kamiya was dead by his daughter that managed to conveniently be gone when he was murdered." Kaoru looked up at him, "What kind of person has logic like that?" Sano shivered unconsciously, "Trust me, the people I know are very wary of others that can hardly trust themselves with information." 'Much less me.'  
  
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Meta Moon: I bet none of you expect that she would be returning to the dojo so soon, did you?  
  
I pretty much got the next chapter planned out. So I'm not asked, Kaoru is going to have a few man problems but not so many that it makes the story unbelievable. Has anyone noticed that I have trouble making Sanosuke appear to be an idiot. I just think he usually keeps what he knows to him self. Oh, well, that's just me. Please review this chapter, it would make me want to work harder! 


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